Telephone message system and method

• US 20040247097A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enhanced Telecommunication Services, LLC
• Original Assignee: Enhanced Telecommunication Services, LLC
• Inventors: Frost, Gary, Dillard, John T., Klein, Duane A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,590,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53308 Message originator indirectly connected to the message centre, e.g. after detection of busy or absent state of a called party

Abstract

A telephone message system accessible to a calling party attempting to reach a called party is disclosed. The system includes a carrier switch configured to route telephone calls via a public switched telephone network, and a message server associated with the calling party and independent of the called party, wherein the message server is configured to record a message from the calling party and to deliver the message to the called party, and wherein the carrier switch is configured to selectively route the calling party to the message server.

Claims

1. A telephone message system accessible to a calling party attempting to reach a called party, comprising:

a carrier switch configured to route telephone calls via a public switched telephone network; and

a message server associated with the calling party and independent of the called party, wherein the message server is configured to store a message from the calling party and to deliver the message to the called party, and

wherein the carrier switch is configured to selectively route the calling party to the message server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the carrier switch is configured to route the calling party to the message server upon satisfaction of a condition corresponding to an unsuccessful attempt to reach the called party.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the carrier switch is configured to route the calling party to the message server after completion of a preset number of rings without an answer from the called party.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the carrier switch is configured to route the calling party to the message server after expiration of a preset elapsed time.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the carrier switch is configured to route the calling party to the message server upon receipt of a busy signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the message server is configured to deliver the message to the called party via voice over internet protocols.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the message server is configured to allow the calling party to apply at least one parameter to delivery of the message to the called party.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one parameter includes one or more actual times for delivery.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the message server is configured to adjust the one or more actual times for delivery to local time of the called party.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one parameter includes one or more time intervals between attempts to deliver the message.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the message server is configured to transmit billing information.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the message server is configured to allow the calling party to obtain status information regarding delivery of the message.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the status information includes whether the message server has delivered the message to the called party.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the status information includes number of times the message server has attempted to deliver the message to the called party.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the message server is configured to require an access code before the calling party can obtain status information.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the message server is configured to allow the called party to leave a return message for the calling party.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the message server is configured to deliver the return message to the calling party and to allow the called party to apply at least one parameter to delivery of the return message.

18. A telephone message system accessible to a calling party attempting to reach a called party, comprising:

a carrier switch configured to route telephone calls via a public switched telephone network;

a voice message server associated with the calling party and independent of the called party, wherein the voice message server is configured to store a voice message from the calling party and to deliver the voice message to the called party via voice over internet protocols; and

a computer network configured to allow communication between the carrier switch and the voice message server,

wherein the carrier switch is configured to route the calling party to the voice message server upon satisfaction of a condition corresponding to an unsuccessful attempt to reach the called party.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the carrier switch is configured to route the calling party to the voice message server upon at least one of a preset number of rings without an answer from the called party, expiration of a preset elapsed time, and receipt of a busy signal.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the voice message server is configured to allow the calling party to apply parameters to delivery of the voice message to the called party.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the parameters includes at least one of one or more actual times for delivery, one or more time intervals between attempts to deliver the message, and one or more times where the message server suspends attempts to deliver the message.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the voice message server is configured to transmit billing information.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the voice message server is configured to allow the calling party to obtain status information regarding delivery of the voice message.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the status information includes at least one of whether the voice message server has delivered the voice message to the called party and number of times the voice message server has attempted to deliver the voice message to the called party.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer network includes at least one of an Ethernet connection, a private local area network, a private wide area network, and a public computer network.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the voice message server is configured to allow the called party to leave a return voice message for the calling party.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the voice message server is configured to allow the calling party to retrieve the return voice message.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the voice message server is configured to deliver the return voice message to the calling party.

29. A method of messaging between a calling party and a called party, comprising:

routing the calling party to a message server via a public switched telephone network upon satisfaction of a condition corresponding to an unsuccessful attempt to reach the called party, wherein the message server is associated with the calling party and independent of the called party;

storing an originating message on the message server; and

delivering the originating message to the called party.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein routing the calling party includes routing the calling party after completion of a preset number of rings without an answer from the called party.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein routing the calling party includes routing the calling party after expiration of a preset elapsed time.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein routing the calling party includes routing the calling party upon receipt of a busy signal.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein storing the originating message on the message server includes transmitting billing information.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein storing the originating message includes setting at least one parameter to deliver the originating message to the called party.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the one or more parameter includes one or more actual times for delivery.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising adjusting the one or more actual times for delivery to local time of the called party.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the one or more parameters includes one or more time intervals between attempts to deliver the originating message.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein delivering the originating message includes delivering the originating message via voice over internet protocols.

39. The method of claim 29, further comprising tracking delivery of the originating message to the called party.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein tracking delivery of the originating message includes storing status information regarding delivery of the originating message.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein tracking delivery of the originating message includes delivering the status information to the calling party.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the status information includes whether the message server has delivered the originating message to the called party.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the status information includes number of times the message server has attempted to deliver the originating message to the called party.

44. The method of claim 29, further comprising storing a return message on the message server.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein storing the return message includes setting at least one parameter to deliver the return message to the calling party.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising delivering the return message to the calling party.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein delivering the return message including setting at least one parameter to deliver the return message to the calling party.